THE SCRAWLOWEEN: CENTAURS party was the place to be last Saturday for all costume-loving fans of make-believe and terror.
The fourth annual Halloween fete, hosted by the Scrawl Up Workshop Crew, kicked off in the BIDC car park where hundreds donned masquerade masks, wore tutus, had fake police badges and more.
Unlike similar events where scarred flesh, blood-splattered rags of the half-dead and ghosts seeking souls of mere mortals dominated, many of those who turned out for the night appeared to come straight out of the pages of a fairy tale. From the Cat In The Hat to the Bride Of Frankenstein, an Egyptian queen and even ballerinas, partygoers in all corners of the venue turned fantasy to reality.
After midnight, DJs Ginseng and El Paso cast the crowd under a dancing spell with their selection of soca hits like Kerwin DuBois’ Too Real and Live We Life by Far East Movement, while other top DJs such as Puffy, Bubbles & Stan were also set to hit the scene when WEEKEND BUZZ left.
Clad in all-black, spokesperson for Scrawl Up, Edward Forde who told the WEEKEND BUZZ that although, there was some criticism around the celebration of Halloween, the fete was all about fun and fantasy.
“It’s just about persons coming out being the type of character they may want to be like, for example, tonight I’m [Green] Arrow because I like the character. At the end of the day this gives me an opportunity to express myself.
“So I don’t see it as a monopoly where people say, ‘Well, Halloween is only North American – it’s not a Caribbean thing’. But for us, [tonight[ it’s just about enjoying yourself,” he said.
Explaining the theme of the party, he said the decision came as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to a major sponsor during the Crop Over season, Remy Martin Cognac, whose iconic brand symbol was a centaur. 
Forde said the group, which launched their first Foreday Morning band I Am A Scrawlatarian this year, hosted highly successful events during the Crop Over season and therefore decided to keep Scrawloween “simple”.
However, he said next year’s Halloween fete won’t be as tame but will be “bare bacchanal”. (LT)
